September 3, 2009 -
The City of Knoxville’s South Waterfront project has been awarded a $535,461 grant to cover part of the construction costs of a proposed floating walkway that could one day run along the Tennessee River across from downtown Knoxville.

The city was selected to receive the competitive enhancement grant by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

The money is only a piece of the estimated $10 million in funding needed to design and construct the proposed floating walkway, designated as the “Shoals Promenade” that is anticipated to one day run along the south bank of the river from near the Gay Street Bridge west to the City View development site.

It would be part of a longer three-mile long river walk that will eventually stretch along the South Waterfront.

“We’re pleased and grateful that TDOT selected our proposal and awarded the city this grant,” said David Hill Sr., director of the South Waterfront Development. “We will use the funds to help design the project and it’s another step toward turning this idea into a reality that will one day benefit South Knoxville and the entire city.”

Earlier this year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city two competitive brownfield assessment grants, totaling $400,000, which will be used to survey brownfield sites in the South Waterfront area. The results of those surveys can provide important information to property owners and developers considering developing property in that area.

The City of Knoxville - through the support of U.S. Representative John J. Duncan Jr. - received a $533,520 federal grant this year for design and environmental permitting work on a pedestrian bridge planned to one day cross the river from the University of Tennessee to South Knoxville.